At the End of the Worlds
by heyits.reagan
Summary: How I think the finale should've gone. (Rated T for violence)


I ranted about this on Tumblr already, but I really was not pleased with how they ended this. The show was an original idea and it really had great potential! But the creators made everything way too easy. There was **so much** the writers could've used to make it harder. They could've gone more into depth about the effect his parents' absence had a him, they could've shown how him actually _growing as a person and a hero_. And in the finale, when Rippen has just destroyed the only chance Penn had to save his parents, Penn turned around and tried to _give Rippen a chance_? What fourteen year old is going to try and play peacekeeper at first? No, Penn should've jumped to his feet and tried to get revenge because he's still a child and that's the first instinct a child has when they're wronged. They want to get **even**.

Rant over, sorry. These writers just got sloppy because they knew this season would be the last. Smh, I really liked this show at first! It's a good series if you're in for a laugh, but don't watch if you want a hero to fall behind. Anyway, I was so displeased that I wrote my own ending. I might be the only one who likes it this way, but haha I don't care lol Enjoy :)

* * *

Penn grit his teeth. His blood boiled under the heavy armor and the searing heat pierced his skin. He grunted as he hoisted himself onto the peak of the mountain. The sky was a dark purple that could easily swallow him. He looked down at the triangulator and his heart skipped a beat. All three crystals were fully charged–he could finally bring his parents home!

"All right, mom and dad," he said, beaming with excitement, "time to come home."

Suddenly, there was an explosion. A burst of energy shot through Penn's armor as he was knocked forward onto the warm stone. His head throbbed and his knees and elbows screamed in agony. He lifted his head; everything was blurry. _What just happened?_ He blinked, groaned, pressed his fingers to his forehead. There was a dark liquid on his gloves when he pulled away.

He looked to the power source on his back. Sparks and smoke flooded out of the device. There was a giant hole pierced into it. Slowly, he raised his head and met the eyes of his attacker.

"I've got your back!" Rippen cackled. He towered over Penn, the orange staff he used to attack in place of his hand.

Penn looked at his chest. The triangulator hummed weakly as the power drained out of it. "Triangulator…" Penn whispered hopelessly.

"What's the matter, boy? Did your nightlight go out?" Rippen sneered.

Penn rolled onto his back and stared at Rippen. He was shocked at first, trying to wrap his head around everything that just happened. Then, realization kicked in.

 _Rippen just destroyed any chance Penn had to save his parents._

The redhead grit his teeth. His eyes narrowed and he growled, " _I was so close_!"

Penn leapt to his feet and grabbed his sword. He stormed forward, weapon clutched at his side with an unbreakable grip. Sorrow and a blinding anger powered every thrust, every attack thrown at the villain. Penn pushed forward, sweat glistening across his forehead and breath coming out in short bursts. He sliced and prodded with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Rippen blocked _every single attack._

He swiped Penn's feet out from under him, pressed the tip of his blade into the boy's neck. He pierced the skin and chuckled at the blood.

"You can't beat me, Penn," Rippen stated. His voice was cold and mocking and made Penn want to curl into a ball. Rippen waved his hand and slashed through the shoulder of Penn's armor. The redhead cried out and grabbed at the injury. Blood gushed through his fingertips and dripped onto the stone below.

Penn spat a glob of spit onto Rippen's shoes. "I can try."

Rippen grit his teeth and kicked Penn in the face. The boy rolled, spat out blood, pushed himself off the ground. His body trembled with a pain that he'd never felt before. It was blinding and numb and yet, it _powered him_.

Sashi and Boone landed on the edge of the mountain. The battle below had long ago lost its fire. The soldiers were running on a low supply of adrenaline and Sashi and Boone didn't have a place down there anymore.

Phyllis met the kids at the top. She had been watching the battle for a few minutes already. She was just thinking how smart it was to train the kids how to fight when Sashi's voice cut through the air.

"Penn!" she cried. She raced forward with Boone hot on her tail. She weaved through the geyser minefield like a pro. Phyllis almost didn't catch them.

But, she did. She grabbed the kids' shoulders and yanked them back before either could interfere. The woman stood with her hands on her hips in front of the kids, glaring down at them.

"Phyllis, what are you doing?" Sashi demanded.

"Yeah, Penn needs our help!" Boone added.

Phyllis shook her head. "This being Penn's fight. You cannot intervene."

Penn stood. He wobbled and stumbled and used his sword for support, but he stood on two feet and faced who's proving to be his worst enemy.

"Just give up!" Rippen bellowed. He was growing agitated and tired of the fight.

"No!" Penn snapped. "I will never give up. This is all because of _you_!" He took a step forward; Rippen noted how his foot trembled off the ground. " _You_ took my parents! You ripped them away from me without even a fair fight! They'll die in there and you ruined _any chance_ I had at saving them!"

Cold, deadly venom dripped from Penn's words. Tears ran down his cheeks and mixed with the dirt and blood. The whites of his eyes were red, but his pupils were as dark as the sky above them. Smoke rose in the distance and geysers shot violently from the edges of the mountain.

Boone jumped every time a geyser exploded. Sashi clenched her jaw and wiped the tears from her eyes. She turned to Phyllis and screamed at the woman. She spat her opinions and shoved Phyllis when she received no response.

Phyllis narrowed her eyes. She blocked the noises out, the distractions, and focused only on the redhead boy stumbling toward the worst person he'd ever encountered. She wondered for a moment, i _s this the boy that will end it all? Does he have what it takes?_

"They're gonna die in there," Penn muttered. His injuries were wearing on him; he was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of proving himself, tired of everything. He just wanted it all to be over. "They're gonna die because _I_ couldn't save them. They're gonna die because _you_ stopped me from saving them."

Penn raised his sword. It trembled and lacked the intimidation it held at the beginning of the fight, but he held it high. "It's only fair that you die, too."

It was like watching one of his favorite action movies. Boone couldn't tear his eyes from the battlefield before him. Rippen moved gracefully, like a skilled fighter Boone loved to mimic and feel like a real hero. Rippen was practiced and strategic and could very easily be a great villain.

Penn was slow and sloppy. His movements were weak and two steps behind Rippen. He'd thrust forward and Rippen would push back. He'd slice, Rippen would parry. Penn landed a nick on Rippen's chin; Rippen tore through Penn's cheek.

The peak's edge was nearing behind him. Penn was stumbling and barely blocking the attacks. Rippen loomed over him like a dark shadow. He cackled and his eyes glowed as his victory neared. Penn's foot slipped over the edge and he gazed up at Rippen, his vision blurry and his mouth full of iron.

"Wouldn't it make more sense that you die with them?" Rippen sneered. He swiped up, his blade breaking through the triangulator's protective cover. There was an explosion of blues and purples and whites that knocked them both off their feet. Rippen fell to the ground with a sickeningly crack a few feet away; Penn plummeted down the side of the mountain.

There was a lot of screaming; a lot of cackling from the fire below. There was a lot of wind, too. It brushed over his wounds like steam on ice and it _burned_. He didn't have the strength to cry out, though. He didn't have the strength to do anything. His eyes fell shut. Memories flashed through his mind, the last pictures he'll ever remember of his parents. The screaming disappeared; _everything_ disappeared.

He was going to die.

And that was okay.

* * *

The portal was open.

Brock and Vonnie anxiously called for their son. Behind them, smoke and fire and monsters only seen in nightmares and utter chaos raged rampantly.

Rippen lay on the ground a few feet away, groaning in pain as he slowly awoke. Phyllis leapt over him and raced to the portal. Brock and Vonnie frowned.

"Phyllis?" Brock asked. "Where's Penn?"

The woman didn't answer. She thrust her hands through the portal and pulled the Zeros out. Vonnie took in her new surroundings while Brock grabbed Phyllis's shoulders roughly.

" _Where. Is. Penn_?" he stressed. His eyes desperately searched hers, his voice cracked on the last word. Phyllis managed to maintain her emotionless stare, even though the look on his face made his face pulled painfully at her heart.

At the other end of the peak, Sashi and Boone landed back on the rock. Boone carefully laid Penn on the ground and the two knelt next to them. Boone leaned over Penn, checking the severity of his injuries.

"Penn," Sashi whispered, "please wake up. You aren't allowed to die, idiot." Tears brimmed her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.

"C'mon, buddy," Boone tried. "You're my best friend; you _have_ to wake up."

There was a presence coming up behind him. Boone can't explain it, but he knew someone was coming at him. He spun around, grabbed Penn's sword, and jumped to his feet.

His eyes narrowed, he spat through gritted teeth, " _Get back_!"

Brock and Vonnie stared back at him, eyes wide. Boone dropped the sword to the ground and his guard fell. He stepped aside, tears spilling down his cheeks. Vonnie squeezed his hand before taking Sashi's place next to Penn.

Boone pulled Sashi into a hug and for once, she didn't fight him.

"I think he deserves to be a full-time hero now," Boone said when Phyllis joined them. Sashi laughed weakly, wiping her eyes.

"There won't be a need when this is over," Phyllis stated, shaking her head. Sashi began to question her, but there was a gasp.

"Penn!" Vonnie cried. Boone and Sashi rushed over.

"Give him some space," Brock warned, stopping the kids a few feet away.

With the help of his dad, Penn rose to a sitting position. He clutched his arm painfully and groaned about a headache. He blinked, once, twice, until he could see who surrounded him.

"Mom? D-Dad?" he stuttered, looking between them slowly. His face lit up and he reached to hug Vonnie, but refrained and winced. "Sorry, um, kinda hurt."

"You were amazing, Penn," Sashi admitted, smiling as she wiped a tear away.

Penn frowned. "Are you crying, Sash?"

"No, and if you tell anyone I'll break your face!"

"You'll have to wait for it to heal, first."

There was another groan. The family and friends turned to look at Rippen, who was climbing to his feet. He was holding his head and squinting in pain.

Sashi narrowed her eyes. "Why you-" she shouted, launching herself at the man. Boone wrapped his arms around the girl and held her back.

"I just can't beat you," Rippen spat. Vonnie and Brock looked between their enemy and their son. Penn weakly struggled to his feet, using his dad's hand for support. Vonnie handed him his sword with a smile.

"No matter what I do, I can't beat you," Rippen muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Penn walked forward slowly, the tip of his sword clinging against the stone with every step. Boone reached a hand out to stop him, but Phyllis pulled him back.

"I guess good really does always beat evil," Penn laughed, his voice sore and hoarse. "Just give it up, Rippen. You can't win now."

Rippen met the boy's eyes. "I can't just _give up_. I can't… I have trained my whole life to destroy you and your parents and finally become a full-time villain. I can't just give that up."

Penn raised his sword. "Give up or die trying."

"You'd really kill me?"

"I dunno. Maybe if I had to."

"Penn, son, go with Phyllis," Vonnie ordered, grabbing his arm.

"What? Mom," he started, shaking his head despite the growing headache.

"We'll be right behind you, just go." She pried the sword from his grasp and kissed his hair. "You've done more than enough today, honey."

Phyllis gently took Penn's arm; it was the gentlest he'd ever seen her act toward anything. Boone and Sashi stood on either side of them, glowering at their art teacher. In a flash, the four of them were being transported back into the cinema.

Boone caught Penn when he swayed and fell. Sashi ran to get the first-aid kit. Phyllis guided Boone and Penn to the front lobby where Sashi was waiting.

Penn painfully slipped his shirt off and gazed at the injuries. His chest was a canvas of cuts and bruises and blood, so much blood. Boone grimaced and his face turned two shades paler. Sashi made a face, but began cleaning his cuts nonetheless. Penn hissed and flinched at the alcohol against his cuts.

"Sorry," Sashi whispered, looking back at him.

"Don't apologize, Sash. This isn't your fault." Sash opened her mouth to say more, but turned away before she could. She forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Phyllis next to Boone with a needle and thread.

"You will need stitches," she informed.

"Shouldn't I go to a hospital for that?" Penn asked nervously.

"I have done this many times! You no trust me?"

"I guess I don't really have a choice… Can't really walk on my own…"

Boone covered his mouth. "I can't watch this." He jumped to his feet and ran back into the theater. Phyllis rolled her eyes.

"Baby."

Penn tried not to look, but he couldn't help himself. He lifted his head and peered down at Phyllis, who was starting on the largest cut across his hip. She pushed the needle through his skin and Penn jerked in surprise.

"Don't move," she warned.

"Sorry it's just, ow, wow, that hurts," he breathed. He grabbed the closest thing he could touch and looked at it. Sashi was staring back at him, cheeks red and eyes wide. Penn's eyes fell to his hand, which was tightly grasping hers. Instinctively, he pulled away, but she stopped him.

"It's okay," she said and smiled. He returned it.

Fifteen minutes later, half of his wounds were sewn up. She stopped to give him a break and to bring his parents back. Boone passed Phyllis on his way back into the lobby and stood over Penn.

"That looks wicked, dude," Boone said, grinning.

"Imagine the scars," Penn offered, mirroring his best friend.

"Wicked."

"Totally."

"You look a lot better," Sashi admitted, sitting back to admire her work. The blood was gone and his face was clean. He felt a lot better, too. "Are you in any pain?"

"I think I'm still numb to it all."

"You're gonna need a lot of aspirin."

"Oh, I know."

Phyllis returned to the lobby with the rest of the Zeros in tow. Penn pushed himself on his elbows and smiled up at his parents.

"How's this for my first big mission?" he asked.

"It's great! Do you know how long it took me to get that many scars?" Brock exclaimed with a laugh.

"Multiverse is safe and everyone is back where they should be," Phyllis informed them. A moment later, the door pushed open and Larry waddled through, sobbing into a tissue.

"I can't believe he's really gone," he whispered. Without so much as a glance at the party he was interrupting, he disappeared outside.

Penn looked back at his parents. "You killed Rippen?"

Vonnie shook her head. "No. Almost, but no."

"We tossed him through the portal along with some woman with dark pink hair and cat eyes that dove in after him," Brock explained, scratching his head. "I have no idea where she came from."

"It was probably Lady Starblaster," Boone suggested. He shrugged, "I guess they have a thing for each other."

"So… That's it? It's all over?" Penn asked, looking around at everyone. His team, his family, everyone who had become one in the same to him in the past year and a half.

Phyllis nodded. "Is over, yes."

Vonnie walked around and knelt by Penn's head. "You did it, Penn. I'm so proud of you."

Penn beamed up at her. "No, Mom. _We_ did it."


End file.
